Distinguishing audio alerts

ABSTRACT

Methods, systems, computer program products, and devices distinguish audio alerts emitted from a device. A method involves relating an audio alert and distinctive data associated with an audio alert triggering event to the audio alert triggering event, detecting an occurrence of the audio alert triggering event, altering the audio alert with the distinctive data to generate an altered audio alert associated with the audio alert triggering event, and emitting the altered audio alert from the device in response to detecting the occurrence. The altered audio alert includes a unique instantiation aurally recognizable by a human as having a unique aural fingerprint. Relating the distinctive data may include relating a personal identifier of a person associated with the audio alert triggering event wherein the personal identifier can be, for example, a social security number, an employee identification number, an address, or a birth date. For instance, the ASCII string of a personal identifier can modulate an audio alert.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/318,125, entitled “PROGRAMMABLE AUDIO ALERTSYSTEM AND METHOD,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,558,384,and assigned to the same assignee as this application. Theaforementioned patent application is expressly incorporated herein byreference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/318,125 is a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/051,194, entitled “PROGRAMMABLEAUDIO ALERT SYSTEM AND METHOD,” filed Jan. 18, 2002, issued as U.S. Pat.No. 7,013,006, and assigned to the same assignee as this application.

COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its attachmentscontain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyrightowner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of thepatent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patentand Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves allcopyrights whatsoever.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to distinguishing audio alerts, such astelephone ring tones. Embodiments of the present invention providesystems, methods, and computer program products for distinguishing audioalerts by utilizing other data elements to change, combine, recombine,or alter audio alerts.

BACKGROUND

With the proliferation of electronic devices, such as wirelesstelephones, pocket pagers, and other devices that employ audio-basedalerts, there are an increasing number of alerts heard in a particulararea at a given time. Many conventional wireless telephones have onlyone ring tone available. Other conventional wireless telephones offeronly a limited selection of preprogrammed rings, or audio alerts, bywhich users can vary the audio alert, for example by selecting fromavailable ring tones. A disadvantage of having only a few differentaudio alerts available in a device is that many such devices in a groupof people emit the same ring tone, causing all who are accustomed tothat tone to check their device(s) to see if their device is creatingthe sound.

Another disadvantage is that conventional audio alert systems do notallow combination of audio alerts or combination of an audio alert(s)with other notification features or data elements to create distinctive,for example “morphed”, audio alerts. Another disadvantage ofconventional audio-based alert systems is that they do not allowcreation of original tone sequences, or unique audio alerts, by users ofwireless telephones or other devices. Another disadvantage of suchcurrently available devices is that they do not allow users to associatea unique audio alert with a particular incoming signal. As such, currentaudio alert systems do not allow users to program customized audioalerts.

Thus, there is a need to provide a greater choice of audio alerts suchas for wireless telephones. There is also a need to provide for audioalerts that are created by users of such devices. There is also a needto provide a capability for devices to associate a unique audio alertwith a particular incoming signal by which the signal source can beidentified.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended asan aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Methods, systems, computer program products, and devices distinguishaudio alerts emitted from a device. A method involves relating an audioalert and distinctive data associated with an audio alert triggeringevent to the audio alert triggering event also referred to as a trigger,detecting an occurrence of the audio alert triggering event, alteringthe audio alert with the distinctive data to generate an altered audioalert associated with the audio alert triggering event, and emitting thealtered audio alert from the device in response to detecting theoccurrence. The altered audio alert is a unique instantiation aurallyrecognizable by a human as having a unique aural fingerprint. Relatingthe distinctive data may include relating a personal identifier of aperson associated with the audio alert triggering event wherein thepersonal identifier can be, for example, a social security number, anemployee identification number, an address, or a birth date. Forinstance, the ASCII string of a personal identifier can modulate anaudio alert in consistent ways so that humans, such as users of devices,including wireless telephones, would get used to unique modulated ormorphed audio alerts.

Audio alerts can be programmed using different devices and in variousformats. In one embodiment, audio alerts are programmed with a keypad.The device can comprise a wireless telephone, and audio alerts can beprogrammed with a keypad on the wireless telephone. In an embodiment ofthe present invention, an audio alert comprises a sequence of numbers inwhich each number represents a distinct musical tone. In otherembodiments, audio alerts are programmed with a personal computer.

A device according to an embodiment of the present invention can includea capability to transmit audio alerts to another device capable ofstoring and emitting the audio alerts. In addition, such a devicefurther includes a capability to transmit a user-programmed datastructure to another device so that when the other device detects anoccurrence of the audio alert triggering event, the other device emitsthe audio alert related to the triggering event. Embodiments of thepresent invention also include devices capable of receiving from anotherdevice, audio alerts, user-programmed data structures related toparticular audio alert triggering events, and audio alert triggeringevents, or signals.

In embodiments of this system, an audio alert triggering event has acapability of modulating an audio alert according to an externalvariable. Such an external variable can comprise global positioninginformation, including relative distance information and/or directionalinformation. In other embodiments, the external variable comprisesretail information, such as price information.

Embodiments of the present invention also include a method of usersprogramming audio alerts comprising creating an audio alert; providing adevice capable of storing and emitting the audio alert; storing theaudio alert in the device; and programming in the device a datastructure relating the audio alert with an audio alert triggering event.When the device detects an occurrence of the audio alert triggeringevent, the device emits the audio alert related to the triggering event.Embodiments of methods also include creating a plurality of audioalerts; selecting one of the plurality of audio alerts; and programmingthe data structure to relate the selected audio alert with the audioalert triggering event.

Embodiments of the present invention also include a user-programmabledevice for emitting an audio alert comprising a storage capacity; anaudio alert created by a user and stored in the device; auser-programmed data structure that relates the audio alert with anaudio alert triggering event and is stored in the device; and acapability of emitting the audio alert. When the device detects anoccurrence of the audio alert triggering signal, the device emits theaudio alert related to the event.

Features of a user-programmable audio alert system, method, and devicemay be accomplished singularly, or in combination, in one or more of theembodiments of the present invention. As will be appreciated by those ofordinary skill in the art, embodiments of the present invention havewide utility in a number of applications as illustrated by the varietyof features and advantages discussed herein.

A user-programmable audio alert system, method, and device according toembodiments of the present invention provide numerous advantages overprior audio alert systems. For example, embodiments advantageouslyprovide a system that allows creation of unique audio alerts by users,rather than limiting a user to one, or a few, pre-programmed audioalert(s) in a device.

Another advantage is programming a user-selected audio alert to emitwhen a device detects an occurrence of a particular audio alert triggeror triggering event. As such, users can customize audio alerts that areeasily recognizable and that are associated with a triggering event froma particular device.

Another advantage is a simple and easy means for creating audio alertsby use of a standard numeric keypad, such as a standard telephonekeypad. In addition, embodiments of the present invention allow users tocreate audio alerts with a sequence of numbers from a keypad in whicheach number represents a distinct musical tone. Embodiments also allowusers to associate triggering events to distinct components within richmedia frameworks such as MPEG4, a graphics and video compressionalgorithm standard that is based on MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 and AppleQuickTime technology. MPEG4 is from a family of digital videocompression standards and file formats developed by the Moving PictureExperts Group (MPEG). For example, specific trigger components can becorrelated with parts of a rich media framework, such as audio profiles,to control acoustical properties created at the target end at the timeof instantiation. These audio profiles may include the aural renderingof natural and synthetic sounds.

Additionally, the aural renderings thus, instantiated can include asubset of a larger instantiated framework such as a visual scene. Thisallows a wider range of aural alerting by creating sound changes in aspecific consumer context including audio parts of visual renderingspossibly relative to a user's current conditions. Embodiments caninclude the modulation of parts of a video scene along with audiochanges. Other more subtle changes in output can also be created, suchas the redistribution of audio spatialization of the instantiated soundsso that sounds appear to be coming from a particular spatial location.

Embodiments also provide the advantage of readily available means forprogramming and storing audio alerts using a wireless telephone.

Embodiments allow programming of audio alerts in various formats,including standard Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) format.Such format flexibility provides the advantage of having a wide range ofcontent available for creating unique audio alerts for instance, bymodulating on external variables such as distance and/or directionthereby implementing dynamic sonorous feedback or aural radar.

Another advantage is the transmission of audio alerts for use with otherdevices. Format interchangeability allows use of audio alerts created inone format to be transmitted and used in a different format with anotherdevice.

Still another advantage is the capability of modulating audio alertsaccording to an external variable, including position, distance, and/ordirection relative to another device or location. Embodiments of thepresent invention also provide for beneficial modulation of externalvariables such as retail and/or information.

Still another advantage is that embodiments of the present invention canbe used in a variety of applications, including with wirelesstelephones, electronic mail, other messaging systems, bar code scanners,and other systems using audio alerts.

Yet another advantage is that the embodiments of the present inventionprovide interest to consumers in personalizing communications systemsand electronic equipment.

As will be realized by those of skill in the art, many differentembodiments of an audio alert system, method, computer program product,and device according to the present invention are possible. Additionaluses, objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention are setforth in the detailed description that follows and will become moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the followingor by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are illustrations of an audio alert system and audioalert computing device architecture in an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an audio alert system in another embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an audio alert system in still anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an audio alert system in still anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustrative operational flow performed in distinguishingaudio alerts according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-5 show various aspects of embodiments of the present invention.One embodiment comprises an audio alert system, for example auser-programmable audio alert system, that allows a user to create audioalerts from a standard numeric keypad, such as on a wireless telephone,and to program the telephone to emit a selected audio alert when thetelephone receives a particular signal. FIG. 1A shows one suchembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1A, audio alert system 10 includes a wirelesstelephone 20 having a standard numeric keypad 21 and a storage capacity22 for storing data, for example in a nonvolatile memory. Wirelesstelephone 20 includes a receiver 23 capable of receiving incomingsignals. Signaling is utilized in a telecommunications system to performcall-handling functions. For example, signaling includes the process ofgenerating and exchanging information among components of atelecommunications system to establish, monitor, or release connections.Alerting, light emitting or ringing, signals notify users or equipmentof some occurrence, such as an incoming call. An alerting signal isinitiated by pressing appropriate dialing keypads on a call-originatingtelephone to generate a dual-tone multiple frequency (DTMF) addresssignal. A DTMF address signal utilizes combinations of frequencies thatrepresent digits or characters to create the unique telephone numberaddress to which the ringing signal of an incoming telephone call istransmitted. In FIG. 1, the receiver 23 is capable of receivingalerting, light emitting or ringing, signals that notify the wirelesstelephone 20 of an incoming call from the particular call-originatingtelephone number.

Wireless telephone 20 also includes an emitter 24 for emitting ringingsignals, or audio alerts. An audio alert comprises the sound emittedfrom a device when the device detects an occurrence of a particulartriggering event or trigger. A user of the wireless telephone 20 cancreate unique audio alerts 33, 43, and 53, for example, by programmingwith the keypad 21, and stores alerts 33, 43, and 53 in storage 22 ofthe wireless telephone 20. The wireless telephone 20 can be programmedto emit one of the unique audio alerts 33, 43, and 53 when the wirelesstelephone 20 detects an occurrence of a triggering event.

In other embodiments, audio alerts are provided for storage, retrieval,and use in various functional data components, such as in a datastructure, array, list, and file. A functional data component providesan interface between an audio alert triggering event, an audio alert,distinctive data associated with the triggering event, and a device. Auser can program a data structure, for example, to relate the detectionof an occurrence of a predetermined audio alert triggering event to aparticular audio alert, and to cause a device in which the datastructure is stored to emit the audio alert when the triggering event isdetected. An example of an audio alert triggering event is a ringingsignal originating from a particular telephone number. Another exampleof an audio alert triggering event is an electronic mail messagereceived from a particular computer network address. In embodiments ofthe present invention, a user can program a data structure to relate anoccurrence of a particular audio alert triggering event to an audioalert pre-programmed in a device by the manufacturer or to an originalaudio alert created by the user. Triggering events are collected orcreated by programming a device to store certain events as triggers fordistinctive audio alerts.

In an embodiment as shown in FIG. 1A, data structure 30 is programmed torelate a detection 31 of an occurrence of audio alert triggering event32 to audio alert 33. When wireless telephone 20 detects an occurrenceof audio alert triggering event 32, data structure 30 causes emitter 24to emit an iteration 33A of audio alert 33. In like fashion, datastructure 40 relates or associates a detection 41 of an occurrence ofaudio alert triggering event 42 to audio alert 43. When wirelesstelephone 20 detects an occurrence of audio alert triggering event 42,data structure 40 causes emitter 24 to emit an iteration 43A of audioalert 43. Similarly, data structure 50 relates a detection 51 of anoccurrence of audio alert triggering event 52 to audio alert 53, suchthat when wireless telephone 20 detects an occurrence of audio alerttriggering event 52, data structure 50 causes emitter 24 to emit aniteration 53A of audio alert 53. While FIG. 1A shows three instances ofa data structure relating detection of an audio alert triggering eventto an audio alert in a device, embodiments of the present inventioninclude more than three audio alerts, for example programmed in adevice, and more than three data structures relating detection ofparticular audio alert triggering events to outputs, sequences, and/orprefabricated audio alerts.

As an example of the operation of the audio alert system in FIG. 1A, auser of wireless telephone 20 programs data structure 40 to relatedetection 41 of audio alert triggering event 42, which, by way ofexample, is the ringing signal from the user's home telephone number, toaudio alert 43. When a call is made to wireless telephone 20 from theuser's home telephone, wireless telephone 20 detects audio alerttriggering event 42. Data structure 40 then causes wireless telephone 20to emit the iteration 43A of audio alert 43. Because audio alert 43 isuniquely related to calls from the user's home telephone number, theuser is able to auditorily identify that the call received on wirelesstelephone 20 originated from her home telephone.

While the embodiment in FIG. 1A shows that a user can create, orprogram, audio alerts using keypad 21 on wireless telephone 20, audioalerts can also be programmed using keypads on other data entry devices,for example a bar code scanner used with a check-out register. In otherembodiments, audio alerts are created with one device and transmitted toanother device for storage and use. For example, audio alerts can beprogrammed on one telephone and transmitted to another telephone forstorage and use. Audio alerts can also be created using a personalcomputer and then uploaded to another device, such as a wirelesstelephone 20. In alternative embodiments, audio alerts are stored on acomputer network server and may be accessed and used with multipledevices.

Audio alerts can be programmed, stored, and transmitted in variousformats. For example, audio alerts can be created using a MusicalInstrument Digital Interface (MIDI) format. MIDI is an interface thatenables a personal computer to send and receive messages for the purposeof creating music, sound, or lighting. In another format, an audio alertcomprises a sequence of numbers programmed using a keypad, wherein thenumbers represent musical notes. In other embodiments, audio alerts arecreated, stored, and transmitted in MP3 format. MP3 is a Moving PictureExpert Group (MPEG) standard comprising a digital audio compressionalgorithm used especially for digitally transmitting music over acomputer network, such as the Internet. In still other embodiments,audio alerts are programmed using a unique audio alert protocol format.

In embodiments of the present invention, audio alerts can be created,saved, and transmitted in one format and converted to a different formatfor use. For example, an audio alert programmed to play a Bach piece ina unique audio alert protocol could be transmitted to another device andconverted into a MIDI format and played with different instruments.Audio alerts can be created and transmitted using a pulse-based formator a tone-based format, such as dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF).DTMF is a dialing method which utilizes tones to represent numbers forthe dialing procedure. Such format interchangeability of audio alertsallows use of the audio alerts in any device with the proper interface,and thus flexibility in a variety of applications including triggertreatment.

In embodiments of the present invention, audio alerts comprise contentin various formats that may be pre-existing, including professionallycreated content, and/or created by a user. Content may also include, butis not limited to, melodies, performances, ring tones, song excerpts,and digital recordings. As an example, a user may program an audio alertusing the first bar of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Alternatively, anaudio alert may comprise a digital recording of a user's spouse saying“It's me!” Audio alerts can be customized to include a combination ofpre-existing and user-created content. For example, a user couldcustomize an audio alert by combining the first bar of Beethoven's NinthSymphony and a digital recording of a user's spouse saying “It's me!”

Embodiments of the present invention include audio alert triggeringevents that are detected by a device, such as the wireless telephone 20in FIG. 1A. Audio alert triggering events comprise various forms and maybe transmitted in different modes, depending on the design and detectioncapabilities of a receiving device. One example of an audio alerttriggering event is a ringing signal originating from a particulartelephone number. A ringing signal using a DTMF format is a typical callnotification modality utilized in a telecommunications system. Anotherexample of an audio alert triggering event is an electronic mail messagereceived from a particular computer network address. In this instance,an audio alert triggering signal can be transmitted digitally along withthe electronic mail message. In embodiments, audio alert triggeringevents, or signals, are transmitted between devices as data embeddedwithin a primary message, as tags in a transmission language, andutilizing other suitable means, such as, for example, radio frequencyand infrared transmissions.

Audio alerts can be combined with other audio alerts and/or with othernotification features. The data structure can relate the audio alerts todistinctive data associated with the particular triggering event. Thedistinctive data is utilized by the device to distinguish the audioalert in consistent ways so that humans, such as users of devices,including wireless telephones, would get used to unique altered,modulated, or morphed audio alerts. For example, an original audio alerttone sequence could be combined with a commonly available audio alerttune to create a distinctive “morphed” audio alert. Also, a short voicerecording could be added to a distinctive audio alert.

Referring to FIG. 1B, audio alert computing device architecture 100,according to an embodiment of the present invention, will be described.The computing device architecture 100 includes the receiver 23 and theaudio alerts of FIG. 1A represented as source audio files 102 associatedwith distinctive data files 104, both of which reside in the storage 22.It should be appreciated that the audio files 102 and the distinctivedata files 104 may reside externally to the device 20. The audio files102 are source electronic files interpretable as audio and thedistinctive data files 104 are electronic files containing data usableas distinctive data. Distinctive data may include, but is not limitedto, a personal identifier of a person associated with the audio alerttriggering event, a digital voice recording of the person, and a digitalrecording associated with the audio alert triggering event, such as asiren recording for use in an emergency triggering event.

Personal identifiers may include, but are not limited to, a socialsecurity number, a zip code, an address, an employee identificationnumber, a phone number, a birth year, and/or a birth date. Adistinguisher 108, for example a modulator, causes a processor 107 tochange, modulate, morph, and/or alter the source audio files 102utilizing the distinctive data files 104. For instance the distinguisher108 can modulate one or more of the source audio files 102 with an ASCIIstring of a personal identifier to generate one or more altered audiofiles 110. It should be appreciated that modulating the audio alert withan ASCII string of the personal identifier may also include adding twoor more digits of the ASCII string and using the sum to modulate theaudio alert, subtracting two or more digits of the ASCII string andusing the difference to modulate the audio alert, dividing two or moredigits of the ASCII string and using the result to modulate the audioalert, and/or multiplying two or more digits of the ASCII string andusing the product to modulate the audio alert.

Still further, unique or altered audio alerts can be generated by usingcombinations of triggers and existing outputs as modulators. Forexample, a home phone number trigger may be used in conjunction with thesource audio files 102 to generate a unique audio alert. Alert datastructures may also be modulated by structures derived from triggers.Multiple triggers, for example a phone number and a distance parametermay be recombined together to generate a unique audio alert. In thealternative, the recombination compound may be used to modulate anexisting aural recipe. Aural recipes can be stored for laterinstantiation, optionally transmitted to others, and/or instantiated andthen stored and transmitted to others.

An example of an aural recipe may include an audio source filecontaining a ring tone for the first four notes of Beethoven's 5thsymphony. For instance, the aural recipe could be applied to an incomingcall from a directory number, 404-555-1212, to utilize the directorynumber to create a single modulation modifier as follows:

-   -   For the first three notes of the ring tone:        -   Add the first group of three numbers to get 8;        -   Add the second group of three numbers to get 15;        -   Add the group of four numbers to get 6;        -   Subtract the second group sum from the first group sum and            then multiply by the group of four sum to get the result            (8−15)×6=−42; and        -   Use that result to alter some component of the unaltered            ring tone, for example make the first three notes 42/1000ths            flat.    -   For the last note of the ring tone:        -   Use the sums above but add the first two and then subtract            the last one to get the result (8+15)−6=17; and        -   Use that result on the last note in the ring tone to be a            vibrato rate.            This aural recipe would alter the traditional Beethoven ring            tone in this manner each time a call from the directory            number 404-555-1212 is received. It should be appreciated            that the same recipe applied to a different phone number            would consistently yield a different, distinctive sound. It            should also be appreciated that these recipes can be            combined with other sensed or known variables, such as blood            pressure, weight, bank account balance, and/or the birth            date of the caller to modify a ring tone.

The altered audio file 110 is used as the source data for a digitalamplifier 114 that emits the altered audio alert through the auralemitter 24. The altered audio file 110 is also a direct distinguishingsource for a transmitter 226, as with a carrierless transmitter inUltra-Wide Band. The altered files 110 may be transmitted to otherdevices via the transmitter 226 for use at a distance. Additionaldetails regarding distinguishing audio alerts will described below withrespect to FIGS. 3-5.

In embodiments of the present invention, audio alerts and datastructures are exchanged between devices. Referring to FIG. 2, wirelesstelephone 20 of FIG. 1A has a capability to transmit audio files, suchas user-programmed audio alerts 33, 43, and 53, and data structures 30,40, and 50 to another wireless telephone 120 capable of receiving,storing, and using such transmissions. For purposes of illustration,wireless telephone 120 is similar to wireless telephone 20, and includesa keypad 121, a storage capacity 122 for storing data, a receiver 123capable of receiving audio alert triggering events, such as ringingsignals, and an emitter 124 for emitting audio alerts. In wirelesstelephone 20, data structure 40 is programmed to relate the detection 41of an occurrence of audio alert triggering event 42 to audio alert 43. Auser transmits audio alert 43 and data structure 40 from wirelesstelephone 20 to wireless telephone 120. Wireless telephone 120 receivesthe transmission and stores audio alert 43 and data structure 40 instorage 122. Thereafter, when wireless telephone 120 detects anoccurrence of audio alert triggering event 42, data structure 40 causesemitter 124 to emit the iteration 43A of audio alert 43.

Audio alerts can be transmitted to dissimilar wireless telephones and toother types of devices, provided that a receiving device is capable ofreceiving and storing transmissions of audio alerts. A receiving devicemay have the same audio alert architecture, for example, software orformat, as a transmitting device. However, a receiving device can use adifferent format, or software, to store and emit audio alerts afterreceiving audio alert transmissions from another device. In addition,audio alerts can be transmitted between devices in various ways, such asby radio frequency, infrared signal, direct connection, or by othersuitable means.

In embodiments of the present invention, audio alerts are associatedwith particular functions, such as auditorily identifying theoriginating number of an incoming telephone ringing signal. Anotherfunction is auditory identification of a specific sending address of anelectronic mail message over a computer network. In addition to suchidentification functions, audio alerts can be modulated according to anexternal variable. Modulation is a process of varying certain parametersin a carrier, or base, signal in accordance with the characteristics ofanother signal, such as an information-bearing, modulating input signal.A base signal can be modulated by changes in amplitude, frequency, phaseof a carrier wave or a light wave for the transmission of information(as by radio), or in other characteristics. Audio alerts can bemodulated by variables so as to effect changes in duration, intensity,pitch, and/or octaves of the emitted audio alerts. This process caninclude the use of dynamic data changing a modulation scheme as variabledata, such as distance, is received by the device 20. The processor 107calculates a modulation key based on a changing variable.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of such modulation of emitted audioalerts by external variables. In FIG. 3, wireless telephone 220 includesa transmitter 226 for transmitting signals, including audio alerttriggering event, or signal, 52. Wireless telephone 220 also includes aglobal positioning system interface 225, which allows receipt andtransmission of global positioning information, such as latitude,longitude, and altitude. Wireless telephone 20 includes the receiver 23for receiving incoming transmissions, the emitter 24 for emitting audioalerts, and storage 22 having audio alert 53 and data structure 50stored therein. Data structure 50 is programmed to relate detection 51of an occurrence of audio alert triggering event 52 to audio alert 53,such that when wireless telephone 20 detects an occurrence of audioalert triggering event 52, data structure 50 causes emitter 24 to emitthe iteration 53A of audio alert 53. Wireless telephone 20 also includesa global positioning system (GPS) interface 25. When wireless telephone220 is a distance d1 from wireless telephone 20, wireless telephone 220transmits audio alert triggering signal 52 to wireless telephone 20 viaglobal positioning system 60. Upon receiving audio alert triggeringsignal 52 from wireless telephone 220 at distance d1, wireless telephone20 detects audio alert triggering signal 52, and data structure 50causes emitter 24 to emit iteration 53A of audio alert 53 to indicatethe relative distance d1 between the positions of the two wirelesstelephones 20 and 220.

As wireless telephone 220 moves from distance d1 to distance d2 relativeto wireless telephone 20, wireless telephone 220 transmits audio alerttriggering signal 52 to wireless telephone 20 via global positioningsystem 60. Upon receiving audio alert triggering signal 52 at distanced2, wireless telephone 20 detects audio alert triggering signal 52, anddata structure 50 causes emitter 24 to emit iteration 53B of audio alert53 to indicate the new relative distance d2 between the positions of thetwo wireless telephones 20 and 220. Iteration 53B of audio alert 53emitted from wireless telephone 20 is a modulated variation of iteration53A of audio alert 53, indicating a change in relative distance betweenthe two wireless telephones 20 and 220. Thus, audio alert 53 ismodulated by the external variable of distance between the two wirelesstelephones 20 and 220. Transmission of audio alert triggering signal 52from wireless telephone 220 can be continuous as wireless telephone 220moves in position from distance d1 to distance d2 relative to wirelesstelephone 20. During such movement, modulation of iterations of audioalert 53 emitted by wireless telephone 20 changes, becoming louder ormore rapid, for example, indicating continuing changes in relativedistance between the two wireless telephones 20 and 220.

Another variable by which audio alerts can be modulated using globalpositioning information is directional movement. As shown in FIG. 3,when wireless telephone 220 is positioned at a direction, or angle, a1from wireless telephone 20, wireless telephone 220 transmits audio alerttriggering signal 52 to wireless telephone 20 via global positioningsystem 60. Upon receiving audio alert triggering signal 52 from wirelesstelephone 220 at directional, wireless telephone 20 detects audio alerttriggering signal 52, and data structure 50 causes emitter 24 to emititeration 53C of audio alert 53 to indicate the relative direction a1between the positions of the two wireless telephones 20 and 220.

As wireless telephone 220 moves from direction a1 to direction a2relative to wireless telephone 20, wireless telephone 220 transmitsaudio alert triggering signal 52 to wireless telephone 20 via globalpositioning system 60. Upon receiving audio alert triggering signal 52from wireless telephone 220 at direction a2, wireless telephone 20detects audio alert triggering signal 52, and data structure 50 causesemitter 24 to emit iteration 53D of audio alert 53 to indicate the newrelative direction a2 between the positions of the two wirelesstelephones 20 and 220. Iteration 53D of audio alert 53 emitted fromwireless telephone 20 is a modulated variation of iteration 53C of audioalert 53, indicating a change in relative direction between the twowireless telephones 20 and 220 from direction a1 to direction a2. Thus,audio alert 53 is modulated by the external variable of directionbetween the two wireless telephones 20 and 220.

As with changing relative distance, transmission of audio alerttriggering signal 52 from wireless telephone 220 can be continuous aswireless telephone 220 changes from direction a1 to direction a2relative to wireless telephone 20. During such movement, modulation ofaudio alert 52 emitted by wireless telephone 20 changes, becoming louderor more rapid, for example, indicating continuing changes in relativedirection between the two wireless telephones 20 and 220.

Modulation of audio alerts according to external variables has practicalapplications, such as being able to rapidly determine the proximity ofanother device or a person with a device. As in the embodiment in FIG.3, for example, modulating audio alerts in a first device, based on thecalculated distance of the first device from a second device using GPSdata, allows real-time notification of movement between the two devices.As the second device moves relative to the first device, the audio alertchanges correspondingly. Such an embodiment is useful for findingsomeone in close proximity, but not easily seen, as in a crowd. Inaddition, such a system can be used to identify the relative distancefrom more than one person. For example, if a distinctive audio alert isprogrammed into a device for devices transported by each of severalpeople, for example children in a family for dynamic child monitoring,the distinctive audio alert for each device (and person) would change asthat person's position changes relative to the monitoring device. Assuch, a parent could monitor each child's relative distance, andmovement, from the parent.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of audio alert modulation byexternal variables. In FIG. 4, wireless telephone 20 includes a receiver23 for receiving incoming transmissions, the emitter 24 for emittingaudio alerts, and storage 22 having audio alert 33 and data structure 30stored therein. Data structure 30 is programmed to relate detection 31of an occurrence of audio alert triggering event, or signal, 32 to audioalert 33. When wireless telephone 20 detects an occurrence of audioalert triggering event 32, data structure 30 causes emitter 24 to emitthe iteration 33A of audio alert 33. Wireless telephone 20 and receiver23 are adapted to receive transmissions carrying retail information.Such retail information may include, for example, proximity to aparticular type of retail store, availability of a particular retailitem, price range, and relative price data. A device may be activated toreceive price information for a product from a particular retail store,for example by pointing the device toward the store.

As an example of audio alert modulation by retail information, audioalert triggering signal 32 comprises the price for a selected product.Data structure 30 is programmed to detect audio alert triggering signal32, and in particular the price of the selected product carried with theaudio alert triggering signal 32. When wireless telephone 20 isactivated to receive price information for the selected product fromretail store A (70), audio alert triggering signal 32 carrying priceinformation 71 is transmitted from retail store A (70) for that productto the wireless telephone 20. Upon receiving audio alert triggeringsignal 32 and price information 71 from retail store A (70), wirelesstelephone 20 detects audio alert triggering signal 32, and datastructure 30 causes emitter 24 to emit iteration 33A of audio alert 33to indicate price 71.

Wireless telephone 20 is then activated to receive price information forthe same product from retail store B (80). Audio alert triggering signal32 carrying price information 81 is transmitted from retail store B (80)for that product to the wireless telephone 20. Upon receiving audioalert triggering signal 32 and price information 81 from retail store B(80), wireless telephone 20 detects audio alert triggering signal 32,and data structure 30 causes emitter 24 to emit iteration 33B of audioalert 33 to indicate price 81 relative to price information 71. Audioalert 33B is a modulated variation, for example varied in pitch orfrequency, of audio alert 33A, indicating a relative price differencebetween product price information 81 for retail store B (80) and productprice information 71 for retail store A (70).

In embodiments, modulation of audio alerts according to priceinformation can be customized. For example, an audio alert can beprogrammed to modulate upon receipt of price information from a retailstore relative to a predetermined price to indicate, for example, priceshigher or lower than a given price range. Using such a system, acustomer can quickly and easily compare prices for a product indifferent retail stores. Alternatively, audio alerts can be programmedto include brand and/or advertising information, for example, toindicate presence of a particular brand of item.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, audio alert triggering signal 92comprises the price for a selected product. Data structure 90 isprogrammed in wireless telephone 20 to detect whether a price for theselected product carried on audio alert triggering signal 92 fallswithin a pre-determined price range. When wireless telephone 20 isactivated to receive price information for the selected product fromretail store A (70), audio alert triggering signal 92 carrying priceinformation 71 is transmitted from retail store A (70) for that productto the wireless telephone 20. Upon receiving audio alert triggeringsignal 92 and price information 71 from retail store A (70), wirelesstelephone 20 detects audio alert triggering signal 92. The price 71 ofthe selected product in retail store A (70) falls within thepre-determined price range programmed in data structure 90, and datastructure 90 causes emitter 24 to emit iteration 93A of audio alert 93to indicate that price 71 falls within the pre-determined range. Ifprice 71 did not fall within the price range programmed for detection indata structure 90, no audio alert would be emitted.

Wireless telephone 20 could then be activated to receive priceinformation for the selected product from retail store A (80). If theprice 81 fell within the pre-determined price range programmed fordetection in data structure 90, iteration 93A of audio alert 93 would beemitted, and if price 81 did not fall within the programmed price range,no audio alert would be emitted. Using such an embodiment of the presentinvention in this manner, whether a selected product had a price withina programmed range could be determined for multiple retail stores.

In other embodiments, audio alerts are modulated by other programmedvariables, such as the time of day. For instance, in a device having anappointment calendar, an audio alert can be programmed to emit atintervals and be modulated to be emitted more loudly as the time of anappointment draws nearer. In addition, a user can select a particularaudio alert to be related to such a time-based signal unique to the typeof appointment the audio alert is signifying. For example, oneuser-programmed audio alert could be used to signify appointments insidean office while another user-programmed audio alert could be used tosignify appointments outside the office.

As mentioned herein, audio alerts can be programmed in various formats.In one such format, an audio alert comprises a sequence of numbersprogrammed using a standard numeric keypad, such as on a wirelesstelephone or other data entry terminal. In an embodiment, numbers on thekeypad correspond to relative tones in the musical scale. The number 1corresponds to middle C, and each higher number represents a half-toneincrement, such that 1=C, 2=C#, 3=D, 4=D#, and so on. A total of twelvenumbers represent an entire octave. As an example, the musical notes forthe song “Happy Birthday” (in the key of C) would be represented by 1 13 1 6 5 1 1 3 1 8 6 1 1 (111)10 6 5 3 (11)(11)10 6 8 6. Striking theappropriate key twice in rapid succession represents the correspondingnote in the next higher, or second, octave. In like fashion, strikingthe appropriate key three times in rapid succession represents thecorresponding note in the next successively higher, or third, octave. Inthis example, “(11)” indicates striking the “1” key two times rapidly insuccession, similar to double-clicking a computer mouse, and representsthe C note in the second octave. Similarly, “(111)” indicates strikingthe “1” key three times rapidly in succession, and represents the C notein the third octave.

In addition, both note duration and intensity can be varied. Forexample, the asterisk key (*) could represent duration of notes, so thatentering the sequence 1 1 3 * * 1 would make the third note twice aslong, and in the above example, would make the resulting tune sound morelike the traditional “Happy Birthday” tune. In similar fashion, thepound key (#) can be used to represent note intensity such that enteringthe # key after a note would make the previous note louder. For example,entering the # key following the sequence 1 1 3 1 6 5 # would make thenote represented by “5” the loudest in this sequence. In suchembodiments, a standard numeric keypad can be utilized by users tosimply and easily program audio alerts.

The present invention comprises embodiments of methods fordistinguishing audio alerts. FIG. 5 shows one such embodiment. As shownin the method 300 in FIG. 5, users can create audio alerts with awireless telephone keypad (310) or with a personal computer (320).Method 300 includes providing a device capable of storing and emittingaudio alerts (330). A user can store audio alerts and distinctive data(340) in the device. The audio alerts and distinctive data may also bestored external to the device. The method 300 accesses one of the audioalerts and the distinctive data (350) and generates in the device a datastructure relating the accessed audio alert with, the distinctive dataand an audio alert triggering event (360). It should be appreciated thata user or equipment may audition or try out the altered audio alert tohear it prior to emitting the altered audio alert from the device inresponse to detecting the occurrence.

When the device detects the audio alert triggering event (370), thedevice alters the audio alert with the distinctive data to generate analtered audio alert associated with the audio alert triggering event(377). The altered audio alert is a unique instantiation aurallyrecognizable by a human as having a unique aural fingerprint. The devicethen emits the altered audio alert related to the triggering event inresponse to detecting the event (380).

In other embodiments of methods, a device modulates audio alertsaccording to an external variable. Audio alerts are modulated accordingto external variables such as global positioning information, includingdistance and direction information, and retail information, such asprice information.

In still other embodiments of methods, users program audio alertscomprising a sequence of numbers wherein each number represents adistinct musical tone.

Embodiments of systems and methods include applications in a variety ofdevices and communication systems. For example, audio alerts can becreated, stored, and used in conjunction with wireless telephones,paging devices, dedicated global positioning system devices, and otherwireless devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs). Inaddition, audio alerts can be utilized with electronic mail messagesystems in a computer network.

In other embodiments, audio alerts are programmed by users in bar codescanners, such as those used with check-out registers in retail stores.For example, at a supermarket check-out area, bar code scan tones aregenerally the same for each scanner, making it difficult to discernwhich register is scanning an item. Using the system and method, uniqueaudio alerts can be created and stored for each register and/or eachcheck-out clerk. For example, each clerk's personal audio alert could becreated using a standard number keypad, such as keypads supplied on theregister/scanner. A personal identifier, such as the clerk's last nameor employee identification number could be automatically used or enteredto create the unique audio alert. When the clerk logs in to a cashregister/scanner, that particular clerk's unique user-programmed audioalert would be emitted each time an item is scanned by that clerk. As aresult of scanning by a clerk producing a personalized audio alert,customers could correlate the scan of an item for purchase with theparticular scanner being used by the clerk. In an alternativeembodiment, a unique audio alert for each product, product type, and/orbrand could be programmed to be emitted when the particular product orproduct type is scanned.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described withreference to particular embodiments, it should be recognized that theseembodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the presentinvention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that auser-programmable audio alert system and method of the present inventionmay be configured and implemented in other ways and embodiments.Accordingly, the description herein should not be read as limiting thepresent invention, as other embodiments also fall within the scope ofthe present invention.

1. A method for distinguishing audio alerts emitted from a device, themethod comprising: in the device, detecting receipt of an audio alerttriggering event signal comprising an indication of a source of thesignal; responsive to the detecting, identifying a predeterminedrelationship between distinctive data, an audio alert, and the source ofthe signal; storing the audio alert and the distinctive data in thedevice before the relationship is determined; in the device, alteringthe audio alert with the distinctive data to generate an altered audioalert; and emitting the altered audio alert from the device, wherein thealtered audio alert comprises a unique instantiation of the audio alert,and wherein the distinctive data includes at least a personal identifierassociated with the source of the signal.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising accessing the audio alert at a source external to thedevice before the relationship is determined, wherein the audio alertincludes at least one member selected from a group comprising a melody,a performance, a ring tone, a song excerpt, and a digital recording. 3.The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing the distinctive dataat a source external to the device before the relationship isdetermined.
 4. The method of claim 3, the method further comprising:accessing the audio alert at a source external to the device before therelationship is determined; wherein accessing the audio alert comprisesaccessing at least one electronic file interpretable as audio; whereinaccessing the distinctive data comprises accessing at least oneelectronic file containing data usable as the distinctive data; andwherein altering the audio alert with the distinctive data comprisesgenerating an altered electronic file containing the distinctive data.5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting the alteredelectronic file to a second device for use at a distance.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the distinctive data further includes at least oneof the following: a digital voice recording of a person associated withthe source of the signal; and a digital recording associated with theaudio alert triggering event signal.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereinaltering the audio alert with the distinctive data comprises at leastone of the following: modulating the audio alert with an ASCII string ofthe personal identifier; morphing the audio alert with the digital voicerecording of the person; combining the audio alert with a second audioalert; recombining the altered audio alert with the distinctive data;and modulating the audio alert with a digital recording.
 8. The methodof claim 7, wherein modulating the audio alert with an ASCII string ofthe personal identifier comprises at least one of the following: addingtwo or more digits of the ASCII string and using the sum to modulate theaudio alert; subtracting two or more digits of the ASCII string andusing the difference to modulate the audio alert; dividing two or moredigits of the ASCII string and using the result to modulate the audioalert; and multiplying two or more digits of the ASCII string and usingthe product to modulate the audio alert.
 9. The method of claim 6,wherein the digital voice recording comprises a voice recording of acaller to the device.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the digitalrecording comprises a siren associated with an audio alert triggeringevent signal involving an emergency.
 11. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising auditioning the altered audio alert.
 12. The method of claim1, wherein the personal identifier comprises at least one of thefollowing: a social security number; a zip code; an address; an employeeidentification number; a phone number; a birth year; and a birth date.13. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer-readablemedium having control logic stored therein for causing a processor todistinguish audio alerts, the control logic comprising computer-readableprogram code for causing the processor to: in a device, detect receiptof an audio alert triggering event signal comprising an indication of asource of the signal; responsive to the detecting, identify apredetermined relationship between distinctive data, an audio alert, andthe source of the signal; store the audio alert and the distinctive datain the device before the relationship is determined; in the device,alter the audio alert with the distinctive data to generate an alteredaudio alert; and emit the altered audio alert, wherein the distinctivedata includes at least a personal identifier associated with the sourceof the signal.
 14. The computer program product of claim 13, furthercomprising computer-readable program code for causing the processor toaccess the audio alert at a source external to a device comprising theprocessor before the relationship is determined, wherein the audio alertincludes at least one member selected from a group comprising a melody,a performance, a ring tone, a song excerpt, and a digital recording. 15.The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the distinctive datafurther includes at least one of the following: a digital voicerecording of the person; and a digital recording associated with theaudio alert triggering event signal; wherein the personal identifiercomprises at least one of the following: a social security number; a zipcode; an address; an employee identification number; a phone number; abirth year; and a birth date.
 16. The computer program product of claim15, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the processorto alter the audio alert with the distinctive data comprises at leastone of the following computer-readable program codes for causing theprocessor to: modulate the audio alert with an ASCII string of thepersonal identifier; morph the audio alert with the digital voicerecording of the person; combine the audio alert with a second audioalert; recombine the altered audio alert with the distinctive data; andmodulate the audio alert with a digital recording.
 17. A system fordistinguishing an audio alert, comprising: an audio source file forrepresenting an audio alert; a device having an emitter for emitting theaudio alert and a modulated audio alert; and a data structure operableto: detect receipt of an audio alert triggering event signal comprisingan indication of a source of the signal; responsive to the detecting,identify a predetermined relationship between the audio source file,modulation data, and the source of the signal; and cause the device toemit an altered audio source file; a processor operable to calculate amodulation key based on the modulation data; and a distinguisheroperable to alter the audio source file with the modulation data inaccordance with the modulation key.
 18. The system of claim 17, whereinthe device comprises storage for storing data and wherein the datastructure comprises a data structure stored in the device.
 19. Thesystem of claim 17, wherein the audio source file comprises a sequenceof numbers; wherein each number of the sequence of numbers comprises adistinct musical tone; and wherein an ASCII string of the modulationdata comprises a second sequence of numbers modulating the sequence ofnumbers.
 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the device comprises atleast one of the following: a wireless telephone, a barcode scanner, apersonal digital assistant, a global positioning system device, and anelectronic mail messaging device.